Alcohol Metabolism: The Two Steps
When you drink alcohol, your liver breaks it down in two enzymatic steps. First, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) converts ethanol into acetaldehyde. Second, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) converts acetaldehyde into acetate — a harmless compound that your body can use for energy.
The problem is the gap between these two steps. Acetaldehyde builds up faster than it can be cleared, particularly after heavy drinking. And acetaldehyde is toxic — roughly 10-30 times more toxic than alcohol itself.
What Acetaldehyde Does
Acetaldehyde reacts with proteins, DNA and cell membranes, causing widespread cellular damage. In the short term — during and after a night of drinking — it's responsible for:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches and flushing
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- General feeling of being unwell
Why Some People Get Worse Hangovers
Genetic variation in ALDH activity explains why some people get much worse hangovers than others. The "Asian flush" reaction — flushing, nausea and rapid heart rate after even small amounts of alcohol — is caused by a genetic variant that reduces ALDH activity, causing severe acetaldehyde buildup. The same enzyme variation exists on a spectrum across all populations.
How DHM Addresses Acetaldehyde
DHM supports alcohol metabolism through its effect on the enzymes involved in acetaldehyde clearance. This is the primary mechanism behind why DHM-containing supplements like Revive Capsules reduce hangover severity — they support the rate-limiting step in the metabolic chain that determines how quickly acetaldehyde is cleared.